One stationery product that is widely used in virtually all homes and businesses is scissors. Due to the unique, widely divergent activities and applications for which scissors can be employed, these products are widely accepted and commonly found. Due to the ubiquitous nature of scissors, these products are often used in activities for which the scissors are not designed and are not properly constructed.
One such activity for which scissors are commonly used by many individuals is to open sealed boxes, packages, and the like. In using scissors for this purpose, one of the blade members is used as a cutting tool in an attempt to open any edge of the package or product which is accessible. However, due to the typical construction of scissors, the use of scissors for opening packages by cutting sealing tape, strapping tape, and the like has proven difficult, inconvenient, cumbersome, and undesirable. In this regard, a user often finds that an attempt to use a pair of scissors to open packages causes items retained in the package to be inadvertently cut or destroyed.
In order to avoid the use of scissors for purposes for which the scissors were not constructed, some businesses or homes have box cutters or slicing implements particularly constructed for opening packages by cutting the sealing tape associates therewith. However, most offices and businesses, which do not regularly open packages, do not have added cutting implements readily available. Consequently, typical scissors are employed with undesirable consequences.
In spite of the general need for a single product which is capable of providing both conventional cutting as well as the ability to cut or open sealed packages, no suitable product has been developed which is capable of satisfying this long-felt need. As a result, most consumers have been forced to continue to employ a conventional scissors product for purposes and functions beyond the conventional scissors capabilities.
Therefore, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a scissors product which is capable of performing all of the conventional activities for which scissors are employed, while also incorporating an easily employed, readily activated independent cutting element for enabling the users to efficiently, quickly, and conveniently cut any sealing material associated with boxes and/or packages.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a single, combined scissors and box cutting product having the characteristic features described above which incorporates conventional cutting blades associated with typical scissors, while also incorporating a separate, independent box cutting or opening blade element which remains completely concealed when not in use.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a single, combined scissors and box cutting product having the characteristic features described above which provides a box opening or cutting blade which is quickly and easily activated by the user whenever desired.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a single, combined scissors and box cutting product having the characteristic features described above which is constructed to automatically maintain the box cutting blade concealed, when not in use, and quickly and easily deployed only when activated by the user.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a single, combined scissors and box cutting product having the characteristic features described above wherein the box cutting blade is constructed for automatically returning to the concealed position whenever the user removes the activating force.
Other and more specific objects will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.